I just spent two workdays in the kitchen testing and perfecting next week’s recipe.
It’s a recipe for conchas. You know, Mexican sweet breads that are somehow even more delicious a day after baking. Perfect dipped in milky coffee. I found myself surrounded by four dozen conchas too many, trying to get just the right texture, translating a bakery recipe into a home baking recipe. I got it, friends. They’re darling and delicious and absolutely worth the double pile of dishes and oven burn on my knuckle.
It’s work, sure… and it’s work I feel lucky to do (dishes included). The tough part is dinner after a day of baking. It’s like wait, I have to keep standing here thinking about food? My go-to on testing days is fried eggs and frozen waffles or a handful of roasted cashews and lunch meat. Gosh, that reads as sad when I type it out but that’s just the truth. Asking me to cut an onion after a day of baking is just entirely too much.
Maybe you feel the same way after a year of pandemic cooking for you and yours. It’s a lot. Onions and garlic? Too much in the year of our Lord 2021.
With ease in mind, this week’s offering is a simple dinner from the freezer and pantry. We’re making meatballs with spices and cheese, cooked in a pot with rice and frozen spinach. I added Mediterranean flavors to the plate but you’re invited to toss and crumble whatever you have in the fridge on top of your meatball dinner plate.
Here’s what you’ll need for this simple meatball and rice dinner:
• Ground chicken though ground turkey would also be delicious.
• An egg for binding.
• Onion and garlic powder, dried thyme or dried oregano.
• Parmesan cheese, finely ground.
• Panko breadcrumbs or really any breadcrumbs you like.
• Olive oil for the meatballs and for frying the balls.
• Rice and chicken stock along with a few flavoring ingredients: bay leaf, mustard, white wine, salt and pepper.
• Frozen spinach though frozen peas also work well.
• For topping your dinner plate: sliced kalamata olives, capers if you have them, crumbled feta cheese, lemon wedges, crushed red pepper flakes.
Start by combining all of the meatball ingredients in a medium bowl.
Throw it all in and mix with a spatula to make sure all of the ingredients are evenly combined.
Shape the mixture into 12 medium-sized meatballs.
If you find that the meat mixture is sticking to your hands, rinse them off and shape the balls again with damp hands.
Fry the balls in a few tablespoons of olive oil top and bottom. The balls won’t be cooked through but transfer them to a plate while you continue on with the rice.
No need to wash the pan. Add a pat of butter and toast the rice until fragrant.
Add some flavor and veggie in whatever way feels good to you. I like a spoonful of dijon mustard, a bay leaf, and a cup of frozen spinach (you really don’t even have to thaw and drain it if you don’t want to).
Add the chicken stock, nestle in the partially cooked meatballs and bring to a simmer before placing the lid on the pan and cooking the rice.
Pretty easy, right? Dinner is just 20 minutes away aka time for a few snacks before dinner.
Dinner all simmered and fluffed and flavorful!
Remove that bay leaf and discard, spritz the whole pan with lemon and gather the plates for serving.
Top with whatever you have in the fridge or herb garden. I sprinkled fresh parsley, capers, sliced olives, and crumbled feta cheese. Salty, brined, fresh, ya know?
We’ve done this meatball dinner dance before. If you want more in your life see:
• Baked Turkey Meatballs (I’m sorry but I eat these cold from the fridge and love it.)
• One-Pot Lamb Meatballs with Orzo.
I hope this dinner offering treats you well and warms your belly.
Print
No-Chop One-Pot Chicken Meatballs and Rice Dinner
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
Description
The easiest weeknight dinner and you don’t have to chop an onion or mince garlic. Simple chicken meatballs and rice baked on the stovetop and topped with Mediterranean flavors like olive, parsley, spinach and feta.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground chicken (ground turkey would also be delicious)
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (you could also use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs or 1/3 cup Italian seasoned fine breadcrumbs)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 3/4 teaspoon ground thyme
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or other neutral oil for frying the meatballs
For the Bake:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 1/3 cup white rice
- 2 1/3 cups water (sub in a splash of white wine if you’d like)
- A bay leaf
- A spoonful of dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- A pinch of black pepper
- 1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, optional
Serve with:
- Sliced kalamata olives
- Capers
- Crumbled feta cheese
- Parsley
- Red pepper flakes
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Place all of the meatball ingredients (save for the olive oil we’ll fry the meatballs in) in a medium bowl and stir well to combine evenly. Roll the meatballs into about 12 meatballs and place on a tray or plate.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet with a tight fitting lid over medium. If you don’t have a nonstick skillet with a tight fitting lid, it’s no problem. Use a medium dutch oven with a lid or a 10-inch skillet with a lid – the lid is important to cook the rice. The nonstick is just easy to clean.
- Once the oil is heated in the skillet, fry the meatballs until browned on most sides (frying in batches if necessary) and placing cooked meatballs on a clean plate and set aside.
- After meatballs are cooked and set aside, melt butter in the same skillet. Add rice and stir around the pan until coated and just toasted, about 3 minutes. Add the bay leaf, dijon, salt, pepper, and frozen spinach. Stir in water (and that splash of wine if you’re using).
- Add the meatballs and any juices that may have accumulated on the plate. Cover the pan, reduce the heat, and allow the rice to cook for 20 minutes or until softened. Remove from the heat and allow the rice to steam with the lid on for 10 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaf and discard before serving. Serve with any sort of easy toppings you have on hand. I like olives, feta, parsley and red pepper flakes. Leftovers can be covered and refrigerated for a few days.
Photos with my dear Jon Melendez.
25 Responses
I do not know how you could ever describe this as bland. It’s delicious, super easy. I made it easy by just poaching the meatballs as the rice cooked. Yummy!
Can you sub fresh spinach for frozen?
Definitely, yes!
I’ve been making this 1-2x a month for at least a year and feeling motivated to say so. I came here for the “no chop”, but real talk, I like this so much that I make it even when I have the energy to wash 5 pans and all the knives. Also great as a leftover.
Re: the comment about blandness, I agree, when the frozen spinach in there. Without it, and with feta on top, it’s perfect.
I really didn’t feel like cooking or cleaning tonight, but also wanted something homey and cozy that would leave me feeling nourished. This was the perfect recipe. I loved it and will add to the rotation. I subbed kale for the spinach, because that’s what I had, but otherwise followed instructions. The feta and lemon were great finishing touches. Perfect cure for the Sunday scaries.
A cure for the Sunday Scaries! I’m so glad, Jessica!
We make this weekly! So delicious just as written. My 8 year old daughter is a huge fan of you and this dish. Thanks for putting this out into the world.
So good! I’m a dreadful cook, but even I couldn’t mess this up.
I followed the recipe as is the first time.
2nd time, I added a dash of red pepper flakes to the meatballs. I decided to skip the rice/spinach step, so I popped the meatballs in the oven for a few min just to make sure they cooked through. Topped with a lemon butter sauce. Fantastic!!!
Hmm, first let me say I am your biggest fan!! Love you! I am on my second night, leftovers of this dish. I can cook, so we can rule tht out. I just think this is so bland. It is servicable. But I just kept trying to think of ways to make it tast better. This is a no for me. But that is what makes it interesting. You are amazing, so keep it up!!
How did I miss this before?! AMAZING. The 14 other reviews should be a clear indication that this is a winner. I followed the recipe exactly and my 2.5 year old helped with the measuring and thoroughly enjoyed the meal piping hot off the stove. My husband stated “wow the combo of the rice and olives and capers is incredible. Wait, did you make these meatballs or were they store bought or something?” Just a fantastic and surprisingly do-able weeknight dinner. Thank you Joy!
These meatballs are a new family favorite! So easy to prepare and easy to freeze for future use. I’ve already shared the recipe with several friends and they love them also! Thank you! We are also offering online meat delivery Services. please visit: https://www.beckandbulow.com
This was absolutely delicious! I am making it for me and my partner again this week. We added lots of crushed red pepper flakes to the meatballs for extra kick, and it was so good. Do not pass on the lemon!!
Me and my wife have a dinner date tomorrow and this recipe will be an addition to our table. Thank you!
HEAVENLY. Subbed chopped onion and garlic for the powders (I didn’t cook all day so I felt up to it). Also accidentally forgot the egg, and used double the amount of frozen spinach. It was SO good. The capers and red peppers were the perfect cherries on top. Can’t wait to cook this again.
This recipe was easy and delicious. My partner took one bite and said ” Please put this recipe in rotation!” We used turkey instead of chicken and a royal blend of rice. Thanks for a great easy meal!
Whoa… was this good. Had I more adventurous, greens-loving sons, I would have added the spinach. But without it. it was totally delicious and satisfying. I added sauteed, lemony greens to the bottom of my bowl and enjoyed the rice and meatballs on top, with a few tiny bits of goat cheese. Delish. Thank you!
This is a delish looking recipe. BUT if you wrap your deli meat around dill pickle spears and put your assorted nuts on a plat next to it, maybe a hard boiled egg…its not pathetic at all. Its a nice cold plate for dinner. Just saying. ( Big smile). Some nights, you deserved a CLOSED sign on the kitchen!
I also mention that i always double my meatball recipes, freeze half on a cookie sheet,pop into a zippy bag, and theres a even easier meal for next time!
Cant wait to make Conchas at home!
This was great, thank you! In the spirit of the headnote, I started the meatballs in the oven while the rice started cooking (less attractive yes, but also no stovetop splatter — it felt important today) — all worked out in the end.
I made this tonight and I *loved* the meatballs and the one-pan, veggies-included conceot. Unfortunately, my white basmati rice ended up undercooked. I did follow the directions and the times to the letter. Next time I will try a short grain rice that is more used to the steam treatment.
a great dish for the one day a week that I allow myself to eat rice, thank you, love the meatballs
Thank you for the dinner inspiration Joy! This mama tires easily of thinking of new ways to fill up her family’s tummies during the week after work, and this sounds like the perfect dish to add to our dinner program!
These look delicious! I have a daughter who, for medical reasons, cannot eat red meat, so I’m always looking for more ways to use chicken. The spinach also makes it feel healthy. I’ll pin it for later!
This is perfect for my dinner!!
Bless you! I love food—and cooking and baking—but sometimes I just … hate thinking about food. (Repeated pandemic lunches: [1] fresh baby spinach on a peanut butter sandwich and [2] fresh baby spinach thrown into a saucepan of canned chicken noodle soup? Help.) I am totally making this next week! :)